When I see the first project that restores rails to a right-of-way that has been pulled up and paved over as much as the M&L has been, while there are ACTIVE rail lines just 12 miles west through the 3 most populous cities in the state - *then* I'll believe that we'll see train through Salem again someday.

The main problem with looking towards the NH main is that, as is the point of this discussion entirely, does not go next to I93, one of the most heavily traveled highways in the state. it does not go through Salem, Windham, Derry, and Londonderry either.

Arguing with someone on the internet is like playing chess with a pigeon: No matter what you do, the opponent will always take a dump on the board and strut about like it won something.

b&m 1566 wrote:That doesn't even take into account the neighboring towns for either corridor.

That too. Let's go 1 town adjacent. Litchfield, Auburn, Goffstown omitted just like Manchester because they're common catchments to both lines.

Pelham, NH - 12,897
Atkinson, NH* - 6,751
Hampstead, NH - 8,253
Sandown, NH - 5,986
Chester, NH - 4,768TOTAL: 38,655 + 96,606 = 135,261*would've been served by Plaistow on Haverhill Line if project not canceled by local NH residents. Could still be served by Haverhill Line if MBTA takes the "Alternative 3" layover yard site just inside the Haverhill/Atkinson state line and plunks a last stop at Rosemont St.

Now, if you really want to have some fun, go find some numbers from the 93 study showing what % of all that Interstate-clogging traffic slamming the state line is originating from which rail line's unique catchment towns, and what % is originating from the shared-catchment towns...including that rather large city up at the top.

djlong wrote:When I see the first project that restores rails to a right-of-way that has been pulled up and paved over as much as the M&L has been, while there are ACTIVE rail lines just 12 miles west through the 3 most populous cities in the state - *then* I'll believe that we'll see train through Salem again someday.

A whole three towns larger than Lebanon (13,5k) on the entire route, and that's supposed to float a whole corridor? The state isn't going to spend millions of dollars restoring a connection to a few mosquito bites, when it already has it's two largest targets on active rails...

Casey

NHVT 669 sits at the south end of the "Pompy" line in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.

NHV 669 wrote:A whole three towns larger than Lebanon (13,5k) on the entire route, and that's supposed to float a whole corridor? The state isn't going to spend millions of dollars restoring a connection to a few mosquito bites, when it already has it's two largest targets on active rails...

I could bring up another thing that can help "float" it, but then i would get disagreements and "thats stupid. Your stupid!" Left and right from everyone except CRail.

Arguing with someone on the internet is like playing chess with a pigeon: No matter what you do, the opponent will always take a dump on the board and strut about like it won something.